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Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency. It was formed after genetic editing of crops inadvertently led to a planetwide loss of many crops and the Great Starvation, during which millions of people died. Now there are strict guidelines for use of genetic manipulation.
On a raid, there’s an explosion, and it punctures his hazmat gear. When he wakes in the hospital, he’s in isolation and learns that he’s been infected by a virus. But after a short amount of time, his fever is gone and he is healing well, so he’s cleared to go home.
It’s only after days and weeks go by that Logan realizes he’s smarter; his chess game is vastly better, for one, and he’s reading voraciously and understanding material he didn’t before. And then he realizes his body is stronger. Logan has somehow been given a whole-body upgrade, a tremendous feat that didn’t seem possible, despite the advances that had taken place in genetics. He must figure out who’s behind it, what their motives are, and to evade being captured by both that person and the government.
As he starts finding those answers, Logan finds himself more and more superhuman, an evolved being. He must stop the widespread use of the virus and genetic editing that changed him, but he also must decide who he wants to be, and if and how he can stay truly human. What is best for him, and what is actually best for the whole planet and its inhabitants? Even more important, who gets to make that kind of decision?
Upgrade is a compelling and very smart thriller. I enjoyed the science behind it and the possibilities that Crouch foresees. The plot is fast-paced and it kept me engaged. The story is also thought-provoking and philosophical; the main character has lots to ponder and decisions to make on his own behalf and on behalf of the world. There’s certainly plenty at stake.
I was just a touch disappointed because I didn’t think it was as mind-bending and complex as Recursion, which really blew me away and kept my brain busy considering all of the pieces of the puzzle. Upgrade reminds me more of Michael Crichton’s writing style and topics; it’s a nice choice for readers who miss that author’s novels.
Rated: High. Profanity includes 25 uses of strong language, around 15 instances of moderate profanity, around 10 uses of mild language, and about 15 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There’s no sexual content. Violence includes an explosion of an IED that left a character injured; intense fistfights; a number of shootouts using different kinds of guns where people are killed or injured, with varying amounts of blood or detail; references to a global famine that killed millions of people; some killings by knives; reference to a dead body that had been decomposing for a few months, and a chapter where a hundred or more people die in a small town from a virus.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
